U.S. President Barack Obama revealed recently that one of the perks of his job includes having received an advance copy of Apple's iPad 2 directly from Steve Jobs himself.

Obama revealed the fact in an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulous (via NetworkWorld).

Steve Jobs actually gave it to me, a little bit early," he said. "Yeah, it was cool. I got it directly from him.

Jobs may have had an opportunity to present Obama, a self-professed fan of Research in Motion's BlackBerry phones, with the device at a dinner in San Francisco in February, just two weeks before the unveiling of the iPad 2 in early March.

The dinner included several other prominent Silicon Valley executives, such as Google's Eric Schmidt, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Oracle's Larry Ellison. A photo of the gathering shows that Jobs was seated to the president's left.

In late March, Obama revealed in an interview that he owned an iPad and had tethered it to his BlackBerry smartphone.

Obama has indicated that he holds Jobs in high regard. Last December, the president praised him as an exemplary model of the "American dream."

"We celebrate somebody like a Steve Jobs, who has created two or three different revolutionary products. We expect that person to be rich, and that's a good thing. We want that incentive. That's part of the free market."

The two also met last year to discuss issues regarding technology, the economy and education in U.S.

President Obama shown with an iPad 2. Photo via The White House.

After leading what some have called the greatest corporate turnaround in the history of the U.S., Jobs stepped down as Apple's CEO in August, saying that the day had come when he could no longer meet the "duties and expectations" of the role. He remains with the company as Chairman of the Board, director, and employee.

Jobs has battled several significant health complications, including pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant, in recent years. Prior to stepping down as CEO, he had been on a medical leave of absence since January of this year.

I think that it's a bad idea to give anybody highly secretive Apple products before they're launched, and that includes the POTUS. I don't believe that any public officials should be allowed to receive gifts or favors from any company, as it is highly improper, it's a conflict of interests and it verges on bribery.

I think that it's a bad idea to give anybody highly secretive Apple products before they're launched, and that includes the POTUS. I don't believe that any public officials should be allowed to receive gifts or favors from any company, as it is highly improper, it's a conflict of interests and it verges on bribery.

I think that it's a bad idea to give anybody highly secretive Apple products before they're launched, and that includes the POTUS. I don't believe that any public officials should be allowed to receive gifts or favors from any company, as it is highly improper, it's a conflict of interests and it verges on bribery.

Apple has been busy making a lot of enemies lately and giving products early to the President can be construed as bribery. Some places I have worked I would have not even been allowed to accept such gifts.

Apple has been busy making a lot of enemies lately and giving products early to the President can be construed as bribery. Some places I have worked I would have not even been allowed to accept such gifts.

One of the things given to the office. It'll probably end up in the Obama Library with the:

Obama has indicated that he holds Jobs in high regard. Last December, the president praised him as an exemplary model......

He'd better hold Steve Jobs and Apple in high regard- can you imagine the economic figures without a healthy Apple? All the employees Apple now has are driving this economy and its products are driving China's too.

He'd better hold Steve Jobs and Apple in high regard- can you imagine the economic figures without a healthy Apple? All the employees Apple now has are driving this economy and its products are driving China's too.

I wonder if Steve wants to pay higher taxes though?

The funny thing is that they would hire more people here in the US if only the citizens of the US were educated and qualified for the positions they would be offering them.

Removed, not worth my time, the good news is the brainless teabaggers all comment on this topic and i can add them to the ignore list...

Please don't go there, I'm tired of political extremists... The last POTUS was no war criminal and the current one is no criminal either. I hate how much people use the POTUS as a scapegoat... he is not the only one to blame.

Apple does not hire people in the US to do manual labor. They hire people in the US who have brain power. Apparently, brain power is in short supply here in the US. This is why people remain out of work for extended periods of time instead of pulling themselves up by their boot straps.

Apple does not hire people in the US to do manual labor. They hire people in the US who have brain power. Apparently, brain power is in short supply here in the US. This is why people remain out of work for extended periods of time instead of pulling themselves up by their boot straps.

Engineered in California. Says so right on the box.

Manufactured in China. Average salary in Shanghai is what? $10K a year? Reckon they are doing 40 hour weeks?

The post I replied to didn't say Engineering jobs but I reckon there are a few Engineering jobs skewing that Shanghai average.